Apr 15, 2012

She Will Eat What She Eats

We sit at the dinner table, all four of us together.  One dinner prepared, but all of us eating different things.

Suddenly, Hope announces, I'm a picky eater.  Immediately I think of all the times Adam and I have talked about her limited diet, with each other, with our parents, with other parents.  And even though I think she is, I do not want her to think she is -- I fear Merton's self-fulfilling prophecy.

I tell her she is not.  And then "picky eater" must be defined, and to convince her she is not we list as big of a variety of foods that she eats as we can.  It does not feel like much.


We go around the table naming foods we each don't care for.  I am thoughtful and careful with my choices, mentioning two foods she already knows she likes so as not to encourage any more "dislikes-even-though-it-has-never-been-tried-s."

She almost sways herself into disliking maraschino cherries until I remind her of her ice cream sundae the night before.  The cherry stays safe on her "will eat" list.

The conversation moves onto other things but I hear her voice, echoing words she absolutely heard from our mouths.  And I know that we must let go.  Any frustration has to be released and discussions must be saved for when we are far away from little ears.


She is only four.  And I do not yet need to worry.  Her time of discovering new and delicious flavors will come when she is ready.  And not a moment before.







10 comments:

  1. Oh so very wise and true!

    (But hard to do, yes?)

    Hang in there, Mama!

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  2. What sweet photos! You are right, she will get there, in her own time. And yes, we have to be so very careful with labels-a very ineffective teacher my son had in 3rd grade labeled him 'lazy', at a conference, and even at 14 he still feels the consequences of that moment. Would love to figure out how to zap that memory from his brain!

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    1. Oh, my about your son. And that is the type of "label" memory I worry about.

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  3. So true. So wise. Oh labels. Also- sometimes I feel my 2 year old only eats air. xo

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  4. Fried rice was our saving grace ... i chopped everything and tried different combinations. Things that were not recognised became do eats, because you ate them yesterday and who can resist rice fried in butter ;)

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    1. I wish I could do fried rice. Unfortunately she doesn't like rice. Or anything mixed in anything.

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  5. I constantly have to remind myself of this - when they are ready. I thought that my older son was picky but I didn't realize how good we had it!! Both kids have a ton of food allergies which makes things tricky to begin with but my younger son will only eat a few certain things. He will not eat fresh fruit. Dehydrated or pureed fruit is OK but not an actual apple slice or grape. What kid doesn't eat grapes or apples??

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    1. Oh food allergies would make it so much more difficult! And no fresh fruit!? That is amazing.

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Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!